Good day,
I'm kinda new to all this stuff so please be nice.
I have designed and made a 3D printer and installed LED strip lights so I can actually see what I'm printing. The printer is powered by a 750w ATX running the hot end, steppers, fans ETC. The heated bed is 230v AC and is supplied direct from mains via an SSR controlled by the ramps 1.4. The LED's are powered from a dedicated ATX 12v feed which is separate from the 12v supply to the printer but from the same ATX.
Arduino mega
Ramps 1.4
The problem I am having is that the LED strips are flickering in time with the red led on the ramps 1.4 board... the one that indicates that the hot end is heated and ready for use. I am thinking that I need to smooth out the 12v from the ATX using capacitors but this feed also runs permanent 12v cooling fans.
Can anyone advise what capacitors (if thats what I need) to use and how to wire these in?
Any and all help much appreciated!!
Regards
Chris
I am thinking that I need to smooth out the 12v from the ATX using capacitors but this feed also runs permanent 12v cooling fans.
What has that got to do about it?
Not much detaile here. How many LEDs?
What type?
What current are you drawing?
How have you layers out the wiring?
Does it turn on and off with the red light or went the red light changes do the lights momentarily turn off?
Many thanks for the response,
The LED,s are strip, 60 per meter and about 4 meters.
Not sure of the current draw
The LEDs are directly connected to the 12v supply from the ATX
They only slightly dim in time with the red led, kinda strobing. It's strange because they are not affected by the hot end cycling on & off which draws a lot more current than the red LED?
I'm a bit confused?? Would a capacitor resolve this?
chris0001:
Many thanks for the response,
The LED,s are strip, 60 per meter and about 4 meters.
Not sure of the current draw
The LEDs are directly connected to the 12v supply from the ATX
They only slightly dim in time with the red led, kinda strobing. It's strange because they are not affected by the hot end cycling on & off which draws a lot more current than the red LED?
I'm a bit confused?? Would a capacitor resolve this?
what is the LED type?
Need to know the type of the LED to know the current draw.
240 LED are going to draw some amps. I am assuming that these are White LED
which draw the most current. it depends if the LED are WRGB or just RGB.
RGB only has to have the Red, Green and Blue LEDS on to get White light.
I am not that famillar with 12 volt LED strips. I have 5 volts LED strips.
What size capacitor you need is basically given by what you built.
An Electrolytic capacitor greater than 24V would work. No need to go high with the voltage rating.
Just makes for a large capacitor.
4700 microfarad would be a starting point.
The Electrolytic + lead goes to the +12 volts and the - lead goes to the ground/negative side.
This may not solve the issue. you will not know until you try it.
Thank you very much for your help with this!
The LED's are all white (eBay) 12v DC... so no info on current, or anything else. Bought the cheap ones as they are only for a bit of extra light. They work well but I'll end up freeking out with the constant flickering.
I'll try the capacitor you suggested.
Once again, many thanks and have a great Christmas
chris0001:
Thank you very much for your help with this!
The LED's are all white (eBay) 12v DC... so no info on current, or anything else. Bought the cheap ones as they are only for a bit of extra light. They work well but I'll end up freeking out with the constant flickering.
I'll try the capacitor you suggested.
Once again, many thanks and have a great Christmas
if you understand how a capacitor works you will realize that the more of a discharge needed to even out the "bumps" the more farads are needed.
We use to use capacitors the size of 4 liter steel cans. They were used to Flash the xenon flash tubes used on the high speed cameras on the 15ft bubble chamber at Fermi National Laboratory.
The LED's are all white (eBay) 12v DC
This is like dragging blood out of a stone. What SORT of LED? Are these addressable? Or do you turn them on using a FET or how is the Arduino turning them on.
Please post a link to what you have bought.
Their are many different types of LED strings, and what suites one will not suite another. We need to know these details before we can offer a sensible answer.